Identification of different species of squids in Oman Sea (Iranian waters)

Abstract

Identification of different species of oceanic and neritic squids in Iranian waters of Oman Sea was carried out from December 1996 to February 1997. The trawl surveys were conducted during a 12-months period. Fishing was also undertaken by Mid-water and bottom trawl for species confirmation purposes in deep (200-350m) and shallow (0-100m) waters to collect enough specimens that could be used for later species identification. The RN Ferdows-I was used for sampling with an approximate hauling speed of 3.0 knots. Three oegopsid species including Ancistrocheirus lesueuri, Liocranchia reinhardti, Sthenoteuthis oualaniensis and neritic squid, Loligo duvauceli were identified. Another loliginid squid different from Loligo duvauceli was also observed. A. lesueuri (Enoploteuthidae Family) and Liocranchia reinhardti (Cranchiidae Family) are here reported from this area for the first time. Neither was any report about these two families of oegopsid squids in Oman Sea nor Persian Gulf.